United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Allied Chem. Corp. v. Daiflon, Inc., 449 U.S. 33 (1980)

Allied Chemical Corp. v. Daiflon, Inc.

No. 71-1895

Decided November 17, 1980

449 U.S. 33

Syllabus

Held: Where the District Court, because of error in certain of its evidentiary rulings in respondent's private antitrust action, had entered a nonappealable interlocutory order granting a new trial after the jury had returned a verdict for respondent, the Court of Appeals erred in issuing a writ of mandamus directing the trial court to restore the verdict as to liability but permitting a new trial on damages. The remedy of mandamus is a drastic one, to be invoked only in extraordinary situations. The party seeking issuance of the writ must have no other adequate means to obtain the relief he desires, and thus a trial court's ordering of a new trial, which is reviewable on direct appeal after a final judgment has been entered, rarely, if ever, will justify the issuance of the writ. To overturn a new trial order by way of mandamus undermines the policy against piecemeal appellate review.

Certiorari granted; 612 F.2d 1249, reversed.